by JLGerardo
Do you go haywire on some days in a month for no apparent reason? Chances are, you do. And you are not alone. Every month, many women like you experience an onslaught of varied symptoms a week or so before menstruation. You feel miserable during this period. You writhe in pain, toss to and fro in bed, feel flushed and show restlessness throughout the day. After a few days, the symptoms disappear and you’re back in your old happy self once again.
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How many people in your class in high school were acne free? My bet is there were not many who did not reach for an acne “cover up” medicine. For majority of people acne is a condition that comes and goes with age. But acne can be stubborn and follow some people well into their adulthood.

What is acne? Acne is inflammatory skin condition that usually shows up on face but it can also affect neck, shoulders, upper back, chest area and even buttocks. Acne is caused by the over production of sebum, which normally lubricates the skin. When there is an excess of sebum it gets stuck in a hair follicle. Bacteria thrive on the excess oil and you end up with acne.
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Many ayurvedic practitioners believe that no home should be without brahmi ghee – medicinal clarified butter that’s been infused with an herb called brahmi (centella asiatica). Herbalized ghee is an effective medium for delivering herbs into the blood stream via the nasal passages, and has been applied to the inside of the nose daily by Indian health-seekers for centuries. (It can also be taken orally).
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Much like stress, backache has become something of a common thing most of us have experienced at some point or another. Some of the most common causes of backache include bad posture, extended periods of time sitting in the same position, lack of exercise, excess body weight, carrying heavy loads, constipation and stress. In women some additional causes include wearing high heels or irregular menstrual cycles. The reasons for back pain are many and varied and can even be a combination of causes. A backache starts as a sharp or dull pain in the mid to lower back area. If the causes do not get treated and the problem persists, chronic backache can result and pain that spreads to both hips and waist.
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Ayurveda recognizes 2 types of allergies -– one that are caused by genetic predisposition (which means an individual is born with it). It can be a sensitivity to allergens in the enviornment or it can be an allergy to a specific food. For anyone suffering from allergies from birth, the best approach would be to consult a legitimate Ayurvedic practitioner who will conduct an extensive exam and, based on the results, suggest possible treatments and lifestyle changes that will have to be implemented on the road to recovery. It is not recommended to try treating yourself or your loved ones without a consultation or examination.
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Constipation is usually associated with vata imbalance. Vata dosha rules the large intestine. It makes sense, then, that when vata dosha becomes aggravated, it imparts a cold, dry, hard edge to the colon. Without some warmth and moisture, it becomes difficult to move waste out of the body.
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Traveling well and arriving somewhere balanced and sane takes lots and lots of practice. There are so many unknown variables (weather, security issues, unknown places, faces, languages) and plenty of room for things to go wrong (ever forgotten your passport or ID?), not to mention the physical, mental and emotional stress that traveling can put on a person’s shoulders. It’s enough to throw Vata dosha completely out of whack, which in turn messes up all your other doshas. Sigh…
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Back in the days of the caveman and cave woman, life was simple. Back then it was all about “fight or flight.” Now life is complex and we’ve traded the occasional brush with life or death, fight or flight for slow, daily accumulating stress. While we might be aware that stress is seriously affecting our health, stress means different thing to different people. The body is able to cope magnificently with daily stress –- up to a point.

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Just about any time you have a common cold, you’re dealing with an imbalance of Kapha dosha. Remember some of the attributes of Kapha: cold, wet, slow, heavy, sticky. Now think about the symptoms you have during a cold: runny and/or stuffy nose, lots of mucous, sneezing, coughing, low energy, etc. Can you feel the resemblance? If it still doesn’t make sense just think about mucous, the epitome of Kapha.
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Been staring at your computer all day? Especially as we age, long periods of intense visual concentration can leave us with tired, bleary, bloodshot eyes and acute blurry vision. This excess of the fire element is generally considered an imbalance of pitta dosha. You can correct this with a balancing Ayurvedic treatment.

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How to Beat an Afternoon Slump at the Office

It’s common to feel a little less energetic in the early afternoon, and an occasional afternoon nap is a wonderful indulgence. But if you find that you can barely keep your eyes open on a daily basis, and it’s interfering with your job performance, you probably have an imbalance of kapha dosha.

When kapha gets out of balance, we feel heavy, lethargic, weighed down. Our minds get foggy and we can’t think or concentrate. All we want to do is curl up into a ball and take a nap under the desk. Finding the motivation to get work done when you feel this way is difficult at best. With a little effort you can keep the effects of excess kapha to a minimum and begin feeling more alive. Try some of these tips to reduce kapha slothfulness at work:

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All of us have experienced a bout of insomnia at one time or another. Whether the insomnia is from a lack of sleep, or non-restorative sleep (i.e. sleep that leaves you feeling un-rested), if it persists it can lead to more serious emotional problems such as depression and anxiety. There are many sleep medications on the market today, but most medical doctors don’t recommend taking them for more than several days due to side effects and a risk of dependency. Ultimately, the goal with any sleep disorder is to restore a normal, natural sleeping pattern.

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Ayurveda is the traditional natural healing system of India. According to the Upanishads, we are one with all life in the process of eating, through which we participate in creation. The earth is perceived of as made up of five elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth, which are manifestations of the Divine. Balancing the elements is the key to mental and physical health. Most disease is traced to the wrong diet, thus Ayurveda places a strong emphasis on herbs, right foods, and right living habits for one’s constitutional type, or dosha. In this post, we will discuss the doshas.

The Doshas

The five elements are expressed in three main constitutional types: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Each constitution has specific needs for its characteristic physical, emotional and mental orientation. There are few pure types and most people are a mix of two of the types. More rarely, one will be tri-doshic. When one of the doshas is out of balance, illness results. If ether and air predominate, your dosha is Vata; if fire and water predominate, your dosha is Pitta; If water and earth predominate, your dosha is Kapha. Your dosha is best determined by an Ayurveda practitioner, by observation, pulse and questions to the patient, not dissimilar to those of homeopathy. IN general the characteristics of the doshas are:

Vata
Thin and usually always have been
Unusually tall or short
Light bones and prominent joints
Difficulty gaining weight
Small dark eyes
Dark hair
Dry skin
Dark complexion, tans easily
Prefers warm climate, sunshine, humidity
Variable, finicky appetite
Constipation
Digestion variable
Dislikes routine
Creative thinker
Physically active
Changes mind frequently
Fear or anxiety when stressed
Dream often
Changeable moods
Light sleeper
Sexual interest variable
Brittle nails
Cold hands and feet
Thin fast variable pulse
Variable thirst

Pitta
Medium frame
Medium height
Medium bone structure
Loses or gains weight easily
Green grey or hazel eyes
Oily skin and hair
Fair skin, sunburns easily
Fine, light, red, blond, or early grey hair
Prefer cool weather
Irritable if a meal is missed
Easy regular bowel movement
Good digestion
Enjoy routine
Good initiator and leader
Physically competitive
Strong opinions
Anger, frustration irritable under stress
Vivid dreams
Forceful in expressing ideas
Likes high protein foods
Fevers when ill
Sleeps well
Strong sexual interest
Flexible strong nails
Good circulation, perspires easily
Strong full pulse, warm hands
Strong thirst

Kapha
Ample build
Heavy bone structure
Gains weight easily
Large eyes with thick lashes
Thick well lubricated skin
Tans slowly
Wavy thick hair, light or dark, oily
Any climate fine, except humidity
Likes to eat, good appetite
Regular thick bowel movement
Good digestion, sometimes slow
Works well with routine
Good organizer
Loves leisure activities
Slow to change opinions
Tends to avoid difficult situations
Remembers dreams if they are intense
Steady, reliable, dislikes change
Likes fatty foods, bread, starches
Mucus and fluid retention when ill
Sound heavy sleeper
Steady sexual interest
Strong thick nails
Moderate perspiration
Slow steady pulse, cool hands
Rarely thirsty

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The Elements, How Ayurvedic Types are Created

According to the Hindu beliefs, we are one with all life in the process of eating, and by eating, we participate in the cycle of life. In this tradition (as in many other Earth-based spiritual traditions), our world is made up of five elements: Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth and balancing these elements is the key to mental and physical health. Disease can usually be traced to things we eat, thus Ayurveda places a strong emphasis on herbs, right foods, and right living habits — all aligned with one’s constitutional type, or dosha. In this post, we will discuss the elements.

The Elements should not necessarily be considered as literal, but as philosophical principles or correspondences which enable us to understand the world around us. As such, the element of water does not necessarily imply liquids. Rather, it is a symbol for characteristics that are often associated with water.

Ether (Aether)
In Ayurvedic terms, Ether or Akasha means “space” or “emptiness” and is the empty space between atoms. As we know from quantum physics, matter is much less solid than it appears, and is mostly composed of empty space. Ether also corresponds to what many call the undifferentiated cosmic force, the unified field, or the one mind. One characteristic of Ether is sound or vibration; its main characteristic is lack of resistance. It is the lightest of the elements.

Air
In Ayurvedic terms, Air or Vayu means both air as we think of it, the wind, and also the “backdrop” of our environment (the surroundings that we may not always notice). Air is the second lightest element next to ether, in that we can perceive it both visually, and tactilely (in tree branches moving in the wind or in the feel of it on our skin). The main characteristic of Air is movement. In the body, air corresponds to both oxygen and gas.

Fire
There are five different types of fire or Agni in Ayurveda, which make up the characteristics of this element: eyes or Alochaka, digestion or Pachaka, colouring or Ranjaka, heart or Sadhaka and radiance or Bhrajaka. Fire is the transformative element. It is form without substance, and the engine of all processes. According to Ayurveda, the location of Fire in the body is the small intestine.

Water
In Ayurveda, water or Ag represents both time and change. Without it the universe would be formless and lack cohesion. Water is the binding element; it is the conductor of all the other elements. It is substance without stability and is formed from the lighter elements, through heat (fire).

Earth
In Ayurveda, Earth or Avani is the heaviest or most dense of the elements and represents the foundation of life and rootedness in physical life. It is steadfastness of mind, faith, persistence and dependability. It also represents advancement towards a goal. Its main characteristic is stability.

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The Doshas, Ayurvedic Types

What is Ayurveda? Ayurveda is a way of life that’s been practiced in India for at least 5,000 years. Pronounced eye-your-VAY-duh, the literal translation means “knowledge of life” (Ayus = life, veda = knowledge). Ancient sages believed that by prolonging your life as much as possible, you’d have more time for spiritual growth. Hopefully, if you lived long enough and practiced diligently, you’d reach enlightenment during this lifetime (of course, part of the Hindu culture is a belief in reincarnation). Enlightenment would free your soul from the karmic cycle of life and death. Your soul would no longer need to be re-born. Thus the general idea was to stay healthy, so you could live longer, so you could learn more.

One of the core beliefs of ayurveda is that being healthy is the natural way to be and that disease is purely artificial and the result of some imbalance in the natural state of things. For example, our bodies were meant to move. Getting into a motorized vehicle to take us everywhere we need to go isn’t natural –- we were meant to walk every day. So when we’re sedentary, we fall out of balance. Aches, pains and excess weight accumulates. Circulation becomes stagnant.

Using ayurvedic wisdom doesn’t mean you have to become Hindu. Religion does not have to be involved. You may decide to try a mental practice such as meditation to help an overactive mind settle down. If the combination of physical and mental practices leads to some sort of spiritual awakening, or curiousness about philosophical questions, that’s great. You can apply your insights to whatever spiritual or religious form you want. But whether or not you get spiritual benefit from any of this, who cares, as long as you’re feeling better, right?

In this Ayurveda 101 Reference, we’ll explore some easy, realistic ways to bring ayurvedic elements into your daily life, as well as provide a background to the basics of Ayurvedic theory and philosophy. Return to this section often to get updates to this reference.

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The Elements, How Ayurvedic Types are Created
The Doshas, Ayurvedic Types